International News, January 19, 1998

John Paul in strong attack on legalised abortion

POPE John Paul II criticised Cuba's widespread practice of legalised abortion yesterday and urged the government to end its monopoly on education and allow Catholic schools again in Cuba.
Taking his mission to the communist country's provinces, the pontiff criticised societies ''where there is even an acceptance of abortion, which is always, in addition to being an abominable crime, a senseless impoverishment of the person and of society itself''.
In his homily at an open-air Mass that drew tens of thousands of Cubans to a sports field in Santa Clara, about 160 miles east of Havana, the Pope said that too many young people engage in ''promiscuous behaviour ... and easy recourse to abortion.''
The number of abortions in Cuba recently equalled the number of births.
Cuba is the only Latin American country with legal abortion on demand. But the government has been trying to discourage the widespread use of abortion as a form of contraception, saying it should be only a last resort for problem pregnancies.
The abortion rate has been has high as one for every live birth. The government currently claims the rate has been reduced to 0.5 or 0.6 abortions for every live birth.
When he first met the Pope in late 1996 in Rome, Castro said: ''In our country, laws authorise abortion, although we do not like abortion. It is not healthy, advisable or desirable.''
Castro's government shut down Cuba's Catholic schools in the early 1960s, and the church since then has sought to regain its role as an educator. The Pope took on this issue directly, declaring that the government does not have ''the right to take the place of parents''.
Parents ''should be able to choose for their children the pedagogical method, the ethical and civic content and the religious inspiration which will enable them to receive an integral education,'' John Paul said.
The declaration was greeted by applause from the crowd.
Castro himself was a product of Catholic schools. But in welcoming the pope to Cuba yesterday, Castro noted that the schools he attended were elitist havens for Cuba's white upper class in a largely black country.
In what appeared a last-minute concession by Cuba, the Mass was broadcast live on Cuban national TV. The Vatican had pressed Cuban authorities to televise the pontiff's masses in the provinces to ensure his message could be heard by all Cubans but, until yesterday, the government had promised only live coverage of John Paul II's arrival and a Mass in Havana on Sunday.
The crowd in Santa Clara included members of Cuba's national boxing team, dressed in warm-up suits and red-and-white Adidas sneakers. ''Whether you are religious or not, you are going to get something from this Mass,'' said Juan Carlos Delis, a 31-year-old heavyweight.
Santa Clara's largest monument is a towering mausoleum for the bones of Ernesto ''Che'' Guevara, the revolutionary hero who captured the city in December 1958, paving the way for Castro's troops to march into Havana.
John Paul II and Castro wasted no time in making clear their stands as the pontiff, greeted by vast crowds of cheering, hymn-singing Cubans, began his five-day journey to strengthen his long-beleaguered church in Cuba.
Thousands of journalists had gathered for a confrontation between an anti-communist Pope and the communist leader. But both men had other, broader concerns, that made the pontiff's historic visit possible and created a display of religious exuberance unprecedented since 1959.
During the welcoming ceremony at Havana airport , the two leaders, each in his 70s, gave a hint of topics they will discuss when they meet in Havana.
The pontiff called both for greater openness in Cuba and indirectly criticised the US embargo of the nation.
''May Cuba, with all its magnificent potential, open itself up to the world, and may the world open itself up to Cuba,'' he declared. He firmly endorsed what he called the ''legitimate desires'' of the Roman Catholic Church in Cuba — its quest for more freedom to spread the Gospel under a communist government that restricted the rights of religious believers during three decades of official atheism that ended only six years ago.
In his welcoming address, Castro denounced the US embargo as ''genocide,'' and sought to identify his revolution's ideals with the church's.
''Another country will not be found better disposed to understand your felicitous idea ... that the equitable distribution of wealth and solidarity among men and peoples should be globalised,'' said Castro. ''We feel the same way you do about many important issues of today's world,'' Castro said. ''In other matters our views are different, but we are most respectful of your strong convictions about the ideas you defend.''
Saying earlier that he was determined to prove to the world that Cuba is a land of religious tolerance, Castro gave workers a half-day off to attend the ceremony and organising transportation to the event on a scale usually reserved only for the socialist state's largest secular celebrations.
But there was nothing manufactured about the joy of the crowd.
Tens of thousands waved Vatican and Cuban flags, cheered and sang hymns even after the pontiff rolled past in his Popemobile along a 12-mile route lined 20 deep in places.

Clinton facing growing crisis as White House subpoenaed for 'affair' documents

SPECIAL prosecutors sought White House documents yesterday that could prove or disprove President Bill Clinton's declaration that he did not have a sexual relationship with a White House assistant and took no steps to hush it up.
Sources said long-time presidential confidant, Vernon Jordan, and UN ambassador, Bill Richardson, arranged job offers for Monica Lewinsky, a young woman who describes in secretly taped conversations that she had an affair with Clinton and then was urged to lie about it.
Lewinsky has sworn in an affidavit in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case against Clinton, that these taped remarks were not true. She will be asked about the conversations again today in a deposition regarding Paula Jones's sexual harassment lawsuit against Clinton.
Officials confirmed there was evidence at the White House showing that Lewinsky, who was said to be an intern in 1995 to Clinton's chief of staff, checked in several times to the Oval Office to visit the president's private secretary after Lewinsky left her White House job and went to the Pentagon.
There are about 250 young workers known as interns at the White House at any given time. In his deposition in the Jones case, Clinton said he gave personal gifts to Lewinsky, The Washington Post reported.
Newsweek said the gifts included a dress and that the tapes show Lewinsky soured on the president and refers to him as ''the big he'' and ''the creep''. As Whitewater prosecutors subpoenaed the White House for all documents on the 24-year-old Lewinsky, Clinton denied both the affair or that he encouraged Lewinsky to lie.
Attorney General The investigation was prompted when one of Ms Lewinsky's co-workers, former White House worker, Linda Tripp, provided Starr with dozens of taped conversations, some in which Ms Lewinsky alleged an affair with Clinton and recounted conversations she allegedly had with Clinton and Jordan about denying the relationship, lawyers said. Newsweek magazine reported that Whitewater prosecutor, William Starr's office arranged a sting operation with Tripp and tried unsuccessfully to get Ms Lewinsky to participate in a sting against Jordan. Newsweek, NBC and The Washington Post reported Tripp was wired by the FBI for the secret taping of a meeting in recent days with Ms Lewinsky.
''There is not a sexual relationship,'' Clinton said in an interview with Public Broadcasting System reporter, Jim Lehrer. ''I did not ask anyone to tell anything other than the truth.''
His wife, Hillary, said she did not believe the allegations. ''Certainly I believe they're false. Absolutely,'' she said. The arrangements for Ms Lewinsky to get a new job were made in the past few months as she was being pulled in as a witness in the Jones lawsuit. Ms Lewinsky prepared an affidavit denying an affair with Clinton.
Ms Lewinsky's attorney, William Ginsburg, said yesterday that ''at this time, she stands by her'' affidavit denying the affair with Clinton.
Later, however, Ginsburg suggested in a television interview that her account could change, noting that Starr has the authority to grant immunity to Lewinsky in exchange for her co-operation in his investigation.
Lawyers said Tripp has told prosecutors that Ms Lewinsky confided that Clinton even left three telephone answering machine messages for her at her home and played them for Tripp.

Blair visit on despite scandal

BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair's visit to Washington will go ahead despite growing threats of impeachment and fresh sexual allegations against his closest international ally, President Bill Clinton, it emerged last night.
Downing Street said the visit — signifying the special relationship between the two leaders — was still on schedule for February 4 to 7.
A beleaguered Mr Clinton, who has constantly fended off allegations of sexual and business impropriety throughout his two-term presidency, is facing his biggest crisis so far.
Tony Blair has set great store by his personal and political relationship with Mr Clinton and, should the US President be seriously damaged by the latest allegations, it would amount to a setback for the Prime Minister in his bid to establish Britain firmly as a key global player.
But his spokesman said there was no possibility of the trip being cancelled in the light of the controversy.
''The trip to Washington is going ahead and will be a considerable success, I have no doubt.
''And the special relationship between the Prime Minister and the President and their two countries will further be strengthened, because doubtless the American people will be focused on the big picture,'' he said.
The visit is to be used in part to take a message to American politicians with an interest in Northern Ireland that the current talks-process is the best way of addressing the province's problems.
But Mr Blair and Mr Clinton will use the visit for a political ''brainstorming'' session to reassess politics of the centre-left.
The visit is also being seen as the Prime Minister's chance to get to know better vice-president, Al Gore — the man the Democrats hope will succeed Mr Clinton as President at the end of his second term of office.

Botha in court for ignoring truth tribunal

FORMER President of South Africa, PW Botha, who enforced apartheid under a state of emergency that jailed thousands without trial, until he was replaced in 1989 by FW De Klerk, is to appear in court today on contempt charges.
Botha, known as the ''Big Crocodile'' for his bullying and ruthless manner, is charged with ignoring a subpoena from the country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
The commission, set up to investigate apartheid-era human-rights abuses and crimes, had issued a subpoena ordering Botha to appear to answer questions about the State Security Council he headed in the 1980s. The council planned the crackdown on anti-apartheid groups.
Botha (82) will appear before a black judge — something unthinkable during his 11-year rule. Judge Victor Lugajo, who has said Botha's political past is not a consideration in the trial, is expected to postpone the case to give himself time to read evidence presented by both sides.
If convicted he could be sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay a fine. Because of his failing health, a fine is considered most likely. There is no limit on the fine.
In a rare appearance, Botha greeted reporters waiting outside his ''Die Anker'' house in Wilderness. Wearing sunglasses, a straw hat and a grey shirt, he joked but declined to answer questions. ''I have made my statements about the TRC. I can't live my life by repetition,'' he said.
More than a hundred police officers will keep order at the court in central George, 240 miles east of Cape Town, as the ruling ANC plans a 200-strong demonstration.
Right-wingers sympathetic to Botha plan no official protests, but police believe some may appear to show support to a man they say is being unfairly hounded by the TRC.
After supplying the commission with more than 1,700 pages of written answers Botha says he has nothing more to add and claims commissioners just want to humiliate him by forcing him to appear in public.

Arafat hopeful of Israeli withdrawal from West Bank after meeting Clinton

PALESTINIAN leader Yasser Arafat, expressing confidence in US peace efforts, met with President Bill Clinton yesterday, hoping to push Israel off more of the West Bank.
But he could face tough questions on his record in stopping terrorism.
Clinton said accords between Israel and the Palestinians lay out a schedule for Israel to pull back and he would discuss a timetable with Arafat, who he described as ''our partner in the peace process''.
''We don't want to keep dragging this out,'' Clinton said as he posed for pictures with the Palestinian Authority president in the Oval Office. ''We have a sense of urgency here.''
Arafat registered hope that Israel would give him what he said he was entitled to under previous agreements, including a pullback of Israeli forces. He also said he was confident the US-led peace process would succeed. He met with Clinton two days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held two sessions with the US President.
Clinton said his message for Arafat and Netanyahu was the same: ''I want to emphasise what a critical time this is in the process and the importance of both parties meeting their obligations.'' Clinton said he had narrowed differences between Netanyahu and Arafat enough to look for ''some way we can put them together'' to work out a settlement.
Arafat told reporters that Israel must carry out the agreement ''accurately and honestly.''Israel already has given Arafat's Palestinian Authority all of Gaza and 27% of the West Bank.
Getting more — and the agreement does not specify how much — depends on tougher measures against terrorists, and the Palestine National Council publicly annulling calls for Israel's destruction, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during his visit.
He told reporters in the US that he had not given the president ''any percentages'', and Israeli sources confirmed he had not. In fact, they said, Netanyahu ''left the impression'' with the president that a double-figure withdrawal would conflict with decisions by the Israeli cabinet.
Even so, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz said Netanyahu had told Clinton he would withdraw troops from 10% of the West Bank, but would forgo other pullbacks he had promised the Palestinians.
The newspaper stated that Clinton said the Palestinians were willing settle for a 15% withdrawal, half their initial demand.

Hawaii Five-O star dies at his beachfront home

ACTOR Jack Lord, who made Hawaii the setting for his popular Hawaii Five-O series, died on Wednesday night at his Honolulu beachfront home. He was 77.
His wife, Marie, said he died of congestive heart failure.
"Jack loved acting and these islands. Throughout all our years here, he was blessed with kindness, affection and support from many fans and friends," she said.
Before starring as Steve McGarrett in the detective drama, Lord played in movies from 1949 to 1968. While some were forgettable, they included The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell, God's Little Acre, and the James Bond film, Dr. No. In 1968, Hawaii Five-O made him a star. The show lasted 12 years and Lord starred in 284 episodes before he retired in 1980.
He was the son of a steamship executive and was a seaman in his teens. He went on to study art, run a studio and exhibit his paintings at the Metropolitan and British museums and the Museum of Modern Art.
Born John Joseph Patrick Ryan in Brooklyn, NY, he studied art at New York Univ, where he also played football. He studied acting at the Actor's Studio, NY, alongside Paul Newman and Marilyn Monroe.

Unabomber pleads guilty in return for life sentence in jail

UNABOMBER suspect Theodore Kaczynski has agreed to plead guilty in return for a sentence of life in prison without parole, a US federal official said yesterday.
The 55-year-old mathematics professor turned hermit agreed to drop conditions he had set on a previous plea offer that had been rejected in December by the Justice Department, the official said.
The agreement was expected to be presented in court in Sacramento later yesterday.
The key development that changed the course of the case was the finding last week by a Bureau of Prisons psychiatrist that Kaczynski, while competent to stand trial, suffered from paranoid schizophrenia.
This was the major change that Justice Department officials had looked for as a basis for altering Attorney General Janet Reno's decision last spring to seek the death penalty.
The family has long argued that the man accused of killing three and injuring 29 over 18 years of bombings was a paranoid schizophrenic, but Kaczynski himself had resisted examination by government psychiatrists until last week.
Then he did a U-turn in a bid to prove he was competent to defend himself and dumped two court-appointed lawyers who were to base his defence on mental illness.
In December, Kaczynski had offered a plea to avoid the death penalty but wanted to reserve the right to appeal whether the government could use evidence seized in his Montana cabin, including a completed bomb and a journal describing the Unabomber's attacks.
He also had sought federal help persuading local prosecutors to not seek his execution and had sought assurances that he would not be incarcerated in a federal mental hospital prison.
Those conditions were dropped during bargaining that took place beginning this week, the federal official said.

War crimes suspect 'Serb Adolf' is captured by NATO-led forces

NATO-led forces yesterday detained a Bosnian Serb war crimes suspect, the former commander of a prison camp who called himself the ''Serb Adolf'' and was wanted for more than 60 murders.
Goran Jelisic, 29, was detained early yesterday without incident after peace troops spotted him on the streets of Bijeljina, his hometown in north-east Bosnia, said Major Louis Garneau, a NATO spokesman.
Jelisic was indicted by the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, in July 1995 for genocide, crimes against humanity, violations of the laws or customs of war and grave breaches of the 1949 Geneva Conventions.
Alexander Ivanko, a UN spokesman in Bosnia, said Jelisic ''systematically killed Muslim detainees ... intending to destroy a substantial or significant part of the Bosnian Muslim people as a national, ethical and religious group''.
According to Ivanko, the detention was well-planned and went off without incident. Troops serving in the peace force spotted Jelisic while patrolling Bijeljina, a town in Serb-ruled territory some 72 miles north east of Sarajevo.
The troops detained Jelisic in his home, said a source in Bijeljina.
Jelisic, who referred to himself as ''Adolf'' in reference to Adolf Hitler, commanded the Luka prison camp near the northern town of Brcko in May 1992. The prison camp was shut down by June. 1992 when international officials visited the place.
As Luka's commander, Jelisic ''created an atmosphere of terror by killing, abusing and threatening detainees, thereby subjecting them to extreme psychological trauma, degradation and fear of bodily injury and death,'' his indictment alleges.
According to the source in Bijeljina, Jelisic grew up as a trouble-prone youth in Brcko, eager for recognition.
He was active in April-June 1992, the days of worst chaos and anarchy when nationalists rushed to then-emerging front lines during the initial land-grab, the witness said.
Jelisic apparently never joined a military or a paramilitary unit, and was never involved in a front-line fighting.
Tribunal spokesman Christian Chartier said: ''Jelisic went to Brcko to, in his own words, 'kill Muslims,' in the spring of 1992.''
Jelisic reportedly moved to Bijeljina after the war in 1993. He ran a clothing boutique there and was mostly despised as the lowest of thugs.

EU experts tackle ozone problem

by Edward Power
EU weather experts hope this week to throw light on links between pollution from large urban centres — aircraft emissions in particular — and a rapid thinning in the ozone layer over Europe.
Globally, ozone levels in the atmosphere, which block out potentially deadly ultra violet radiation, continue to plummet.
EU climatologists are to investigate ozone thinning above Europe's major cities. The Third European Stratospheric Experiment on Ozone (THESEO) Aircraft will concentrate on the impact of aircraft vapour trails. Scientists will investigate a connection between depletions in the Arctic and Europe. The EU has given 16 million ECU to the project.

'Drinking' straw breaks camel's back

by Declan Colley
YOU'VE heard of drunk-drivers and drunk motorcyclists and even drunk airline pilots — but what about the drunk camel driver.
The man in question is an Australian bushman who has already been charged with being drunk in charge of a pair of camels. Ricky Hall (35) a tourist guide was arrested by police during a trip to an outback waterhole on the outskirts of the Oodnadatta desert community.
Hall was in charge of the two camels who were pulling a cart carrying 12 tourists.
After being told by the police he was drunk and likely to face charges, Hall handed the reins of the camels to a volunteer.
However, the police reckoned he was still giving voice commands to the camels and they didn't think that was fair dinkum. When he tried to flee on a third camel, which had been tied to the back of the cart, it was the last straw. A scuffle broke out before the use of a policemen's pepper spray canister subdued him.
Mr Hall is due in court in March.